Read Only microSD Card

GRN is moving towards the distribution of their audio recordings via microSD card. I am looking for a solution to prevent our content from being deleted by the users we distribute to.

Has anyone done any research or had any experience in this area?

I have found a commercial solution for protecting content on a microSD card, but it may be cost prohibative and would reduce the flexibility in customizing the content loaded on each card since it would need to be pre-loaded at the time of manufacture.

This is the most basic type of write-protection, and can be un-done by a savvy user, so maybe you wanted a more fool-proof method such as the commercial utility you referenced above. But I thought I'd mention this in case it meets the basic need.

From a PC you can set the read-only attributes on specific files, or deny the write permission for the entire card. I'm sure though that utilities such as Astro on a Smartphone allow users to reset those attributes, so if they intentionally want to wipe the microSD card and use it for something else they could still do that. Anyway I thought I'd pass along this basic info.

Admission: when I was forwarded the link, I didn't know what to expect. When I read it, I was disappointed. I liken it to visiting a church, and being given a pen and notepad then being told that you can only write on it things pertaining to that church only. Me-centered, not necessarly looking "to give and let go."

Making content read-only is as simply as flipping the file-bit for making it read-only. If you want to get slightly extra savy, then flip the clear button (on full size SD cards) or the software switch (on mini and micro SDHC) to make the cards read only.

If the card can be read, it can be reformatted. So, if someone finds they can't delete content they no longer feel they need, and a reformat option is known, then that will happen.

Other than that, purchse tech that will make the software you put on the card like an un-deleteable rootkit, and suffer any relations issues that come in terms of that aspect of digital ethics.

I know the situation, and that "give and let go" doesn't always make sense... but if you are going the route of purchasing the cards and giving them away, is the act of giving less valuable than the content on the cards? If so, Matthew 5 might be the next piece of spiritual software worth investigating.

Thanks for your honesty Antoine. Matthew 5 is a good reminder. The act of giving is certainly valuable. You have forced me to rethink our plans in this area.

Antoine RJ Wright said:

Admission: when I was forwarded the link, I didn't know what to expect. When I read it, I was disappointed. I liken it to visiting a church, and being given a pen and notepad then being told that you can only write on it things pertaining to that church only. Me-centered, not necessarly looking "to give and let go."

Making content read-only is as simply as flipping the file-bit for making it read-only. If you want to get slightly extra savy, then flip the clear button (on full size SD cards) or the software switch (on mini and micro SDHC) to make the cards read only.

If the card can be read, it can be reformatted. So, if someone finds they can't delete content they no longer feel they need, and a reformat option is known, then that will happen.

Other than that, purchse tech that will make the software you put on the card like an un-deleteable rootkit, and suffer any relations issues that come in terms of that aspect of digital ethics.

I know the situation, and that "give and let go" doesn't always make sense... but if you are going the route of purchasing the cards and giving them away, is the act of giving less valuable than the content on the cards? If so, Matthew 5 might be the next piece of spiritual software worth investigating.